Amazed and Disappointed

[Planogirl]

I think that people do want to go to Pandora but they might often say let's go to MK instead because Pandora is too crowded or let's see the rest of AK. They can't do that now.

 

[Mackenzie Click-Mickelson]

Not sure that's a fair conclusion. I wouldn't compare right at/after opening with weeks/months late during a busier period.

Earlier on, the enthusiasm for Pandora was really high, so I can see most people being there just for that. Now add BIGGER CROWDS for the summer, plus passage of time (some Pandora excitement dying down), and I think you'd fill the rest of AK -- especially with MK closed early.

I was adding to the above as you posted.

______________
I must have looked at the comment and responded to it before you added the "Earlier on" lol and I was having a harder time getting what you were meaning. I gotcha now

Yes you are right about that second part, it was right around Memorial Day. Perhaps they were deciding that was the base line for adding on the rest of AK to their extra extra magic hours-i.e. if the rest of AK was super busy they could see the need for it to continue for a longer time. I'm thinking it might not look favorable to have the rest of AK open now at this time but only for a few weeks during the summer crowds and then to just remove it sorta like a yoyo AK Evening EMH. It would seem either they decide there is a need for all of AK now or they decide there is not a need for all of AK now instead of up and down. Again maybe they were using the first part as a base line. Just all thinking out loud here obviously and hopefully my comments are making sense.

 

[oktxregulators]

Did you also check the radar?

I was at MK today and there was no rain at all. Yes, there was alot of rain around us and it looked like it was going to pour but it never did. Touring plans had MK at a 5 today. Most of the rides I got on I never had to wait more then 30 minutes to ride and I was there from park open to close.

 

[oktxregulators]

I think that people do want to go to Pandora but they might often say let's go to MK instead because Pandora is too crowded or let's see the rest of AK. They can't do that now.

Correct

 

[twoplustwins]

Because all of those people who enjoy late night touring have to go to Pandora or DS. They are theoretically being jammed into a small area unless they choose the shopping.

Does anyone know what would be considered capacity for Pandora? I keep reading reports of how crowded it is.

 

[grahampb]

Does not look as if they will be extended?

 

[squirrel]

Now with more ride closures it will be busier on all the other rides.

At least I'm ending my trip with SeaWorld!

 

[mousefan73]

I really miss those late closings and late EMHs. I am a night owl and there was nothing more magical than being in the MK after 1 am.

Summers at WDW have been pretty weird these past 2 years. I went at the end of July last year and found it to be surprisingly empty. I'm used to going in the fall.

I truly think that fall and summer might be swapping crowd levels.

That is the feeling I'm getting too. Fall is not "empty" even late Aug/sept

 

[mousefan73]

I'd bet a lot are.

For many of us, ending at 9:30 or 10pm in the summer is EARLY, and I'd bet many go just because it's the only thing open.

True for summer too early. We take afternoon breaks in the heat. ADR at 6/7ish done eating at 8:30. And that is suppose to be the end of our park day ?? No way. At this point we want to get started again. 11/12 am woukd be perfect. I find Epcot so annoying 9pm unless emh

 

[mrs moon]

Im staying at the Poly in Oct & was thinking how great it would be to nip across to MK whenever.....No, every other night HP!!.MK open only twice till 11pm during my stay!!..Think this could be my last visit to Orlando

 

[dreiwhit]

Try going near Christmas when the MK closes at 6:00 pm many nights and they charge you extra to go in the evening (called MVMCP).

We arrived at RD on our last trip during the week after Thanksgiving, and got everything done that we wanted to do - and then some! - before the party crowd entered at 4pm. In fact, we pretty much gave up doing anything after 4:15 because the huge influx of people. We would do a little shopping and then fight the incoming crowd to leave no later than 5pm.

IMHO it's a sad commentary when the justification essentially is "well, that's the way Universal does it, too." A far cry from "The Disney Difference."

Unfortunately this is the natural progression of WDW's philosophy toward its guests over the past few years. Some smart guy or gal looks at the money they can save and that it's a high-demand time of year where they're going to make $ anyway and they just say they don't have to, so they're not going to.

Sadly, that's the first symptom of companies that are entering a big decline. I understand you have to keep shareholders happy, but when you forget the customer, your company is doomed.

 

[Narnia_girl]

True for summer too early. We take afternoon breaks in the heat. ADR at 6/7ish done eating at 8:30. And that is suppose to be the end of our park day ?? No way. At this point we want to get started again. 11/12 am woukd be perfect. I find Epcot so annoying 9pm unless emh

That was exactly what happened to us last week. We had to take a break from the afternoon heat. By the time we were back in the parks it was much cooler and nicer to be there. But we only got in a 2-3 hours before they closed. Right when we were enjoying it the most, we had to leave.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

Try going near Christmas when the MK closes at 6:00 pm many nights and they charge you extra to go in the evening (called MVMCP).

Two issues...

1. You're not dealing with the heat in Dec/Jan. It makes a BIG difference in Jul-Aug to take a midday break when it's excruciatingly hot and then going back for late hours. Not necessary in the Winter. In fact, when I've been there Dec-Jan it was unpleasant as it got later! Too chilly!
2. Part of this is about expectations. WDW has built the expectation over many years that 1) short hours over Christmas, 2) late closures (11pm or later) over the summer. You know what you're in for when you book Dec/Jan. We expected booking Jul-Aug that it would be similar to most past years. It isn't.

 

[robl45]

Two issues...

1. You're not dealing with the heat in Dec/Jan. It makes a BIG difference in Jul-Aug to take a midday break when it's excruciatingly hot and then going back for late hours. Not necessary in the Winter. In fact, when I've been there Dec-Jan it was unpleasant as it got later! Too chilly!
2. Part of this is about expectations. WDW has built the expectation over many years that 1) short hours over Christmas, 2) late closures (11pm or later) over the summer. You know what you're in for when you book Dec/Jan. We expected booking Jul-Aug that it would be similar to most past years. It isn't.

Point 2 is correct. You book certain times, you expect the park to be open.

BTW for the person staying at Poly, the hop isn't as simple as it seems. From the contemporary yes, anywhere else, taking the bus is just as simple and usually way less crowded then the monorail although I'm comparing to park closing at midnight. I can't even imagine what the monorail would be like with the park closing at 10pm.

 

[Harmacist]

Two issues...

1. You're not dealing with the heat in Dec/Jan. It makes a BIG difference in Jul-Aug to take a midday break when it's excruciatingly hot and then going back for late hours. Not necessary in the Winter. In fact, when I've been there Dec-Jan it was unpleasant as it got later! Too chilly!
2. Part of this is about expectations. WDW has built the expectation over many years that 1) short hours over Christmas, 2) late closures (11pm or later) over the summer. You know what you're in for when you book Dec/Jan. We expected booking Jul-Aug that it would be similar to most past years. It isn't.

I think this sums it up perfectly, I've done WDW in October and Christmas time and midday breaks are more optional than in Jul/Aug where it is almost a necessity.

I was last to WDW in 2015 for Aug, when we booked this trip this year and saw the park hours months ago that were scheduled we just expected they would extend MK to 11pm most days, they had simply done that or later every year previously that we've come during summer. This is the first year my GF is coming so I actually have an adult to go around with late night (usually its just my dad, brother, SIL and two young nephews). I appreciate that AK is open late, and if the whole park was open late I'd definitely do that a couple nights, but just Pandora, I'll pass. I think we will be spending late nights at Springs especially since we are staying at SSR.

It's just disappointing, and will may affect us coming next year (Universal?) especially with all the closures and construction, another year off may be in order and wait for the new openings. Maybe the lower crowd levels will change our minds, but I won't believe it until I see them.

 

[Amy&Dan]

We are here now and the parks are manageble but hardly empty. I am not going to lie, the reduced hours at MK stink. We have always loved the late night summer hours at MK. I miss having the Electrical Parade, particularly the 11:00 p.m. one. It poured rain this afternoon/evening leaving pretty much every outdoor ride closed.

Having Pandora open late is worthless to us. It's a great land but with two rides only there is no way or reason we would go over there specifically for EMH.

I also miss having later hours at DHS and a second Fantasmic.

We are having a great time but this will be our last July trip. The brutal heat and lack of evening hours is a lose/lose for us. Leaving Epcot tonight with hundreds of chanting, clapping teenagers just added to the aggravation.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

We are here now and the parks are manageble but hardly empty. I am not going to lie, the reduced hours at MK stink. We have always loved the late night summer hours at MK. I miss having the Electrical Parade, particularly the 11:00 p.m. one. It poured rain this afternoon/evening leaving pretty much every outdoor ride closed.

Having Pandora open late is worthless to us. It's a great land but with two rides only there is no way or reason we would go over there specifically for EMH.

I also miss having later hours at DHS and a second Fantasmic.

We are having a great time but this will be our last July trip. The brutal heat and lack of evening hours is a lose/lose for us. Leaving Epcot tonight with hundreds of chanting, clapping teenagers just added to the aggravation.

Glad that despite the... issues, you are still having a great time!!

 

[DaisyJ]

Glad that despite the... issues, you are still having a great time!!

We are having a great time, too. Left MK at closing, and got to our bus stop to find about 10 people in front of us, so a bus obviously just picked up. Due to our terrible experience Saturday night, we were expecting a lengthy wait, so I started the stopwatch on my phone. Fifty two seconds later, a bus pulled up.

 

[MickeyMinnieMom]

We are having a great time, too. Left MK at closing, and got to our bus stop to find about 10 people in front of us, so a bus obviously just picked up. Due to our terrible experience Saturday night, we were expecting a lengthy wait, so I started the stopwatch on my phone. Fifty two seconds later, a bus pulled up.

Good to hear!!!

 

[back2disney]

Went to MK today. It was pretty crowded at the usual times after 1030am(maybe earlier?) (1 to mostly 2hr waits for the mountains, lots of :45->1hr waits, just a few shorter waits for mermaid25minutes). Early morning magic helped a bunch. It was hot and humid. Everyone in the park seemed drained and wet, even saw a man shirtless, my daughter thought that wasn't allowed, lol. Left for dinner4pm and didn't come back because of the shorter hours(if the park closed at 12am I would have), ended up pouring after that(at least at the hotel) so not sure how that affected the afternoon and evening crowds.